Alaska Airlines makes a pitch for a new, direct flight from Washington to Portland

View full sizeThe Associated PressWith the path cleared by a new law, Alaska Airlines is moving to win permission for a direct flight from Reagan National Airport to Portland.

WASHINGTON - Alaska Airlines asked the federal government Monday for permission to add a direct flight from Washington, D.C. to Portland, arguing that travel-starved Oregon and its largest city deserve service from the capital's closest airport - Reagan National.

Alaska submitted the request to the Department of Transportation less than a month after President Barack Obama signed a law approving four additional long-haul flights from Reagan National, a popular but tightly regulated facility where virtually all flights are limited to 1,250 miles or less.

But on the urging of West Coast lawmakers - including those from Oregon - Reagan National won four new slots for direct flights beyond the limit. Now the competition for those lucrative flights begins. In addition to the flight to Portland, Alaska announced it also is seeking permission for a direct flight to San Diego.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., was one of the senators lobbying for additional flights. And while Portland wasn't named in the bill authorizing the new flights, advocates for the region believe Portland can make a strong case.

"The door is now open for more flights between western cities like Portland and Washington, D.C., giving the Pacific Northwest another connection to the East Coast that could boost economic development in the region," Wyden said last month when Congress approved long-stalled legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration.

In its application, Alaska noted that Portland and San Diego are the two largest West Coast cities without direct service from Reagan National. Currently there is a single daily direct flight from the Washington area to Portland - a flight that departs from Dulles International Airport in suburban Virginia, 28 miles from the Capitol.

Dulles is not nearly as appealing as National, where passengers can literally see the Capitol and the city's monuments from the terminal. It also has easy access to the city's subway system, unlike Dulles.

And while competition for the slots is fierce, Alaska has a history of success. In 2001, the airline won permission to fly a direct flight from Reagan National to Seattle. Unlike now, when the slots were provided by an updated law, the 2001 expansion resulted from a complicated swapping of slots when American Airlines acquired TWA. In that competition, Alaska was one of nine airlines vying for the long-haul slot.

This time, the outcome won't be known for months but the potential has residents, business leaders and lawmakers excited.

"Oregon residents and the business community need a convenient nonstop flight to the nation's capital," Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said in a statement. He urged Oregon residents to write the Department of Transportation in support of Alaska's application.

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., agreed, saying the "existing routes through Dulles airport aren't enough for the demand and aren't a replacement for a direct flight to National Airport."

The need for better service is not some abstract policy discussion for Oregon's members of Congress and their staffs. They will be among the happiest and most frequent passengers of a flight from a nearby airport with a direct flight home. That will be a major relief to members and staff who endure an arduous trip twice a month or more and who freely acknowledge the difficulty finding convenient and timely flights.